isaac
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Post by isaac on Nov 20, 2012 9:21:30 GMT -7
Does anyone know any of the history behind the neck-worn, heart-shaped, tobacco bag called a gage d'amour? I Know of people using them, and I see them in some of Miller's paintings in the 1840s west, but where do they come from? Also, the term gage d'amour means token of love in French... what is this background for a bag? Just curious as a guy that likes his pipe and tabac.
Isaac
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char
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Post by char on Nov 21, 2012 0:50:21 GMT -7
Good question Isaac! I've been wondering the same thing. Ruxton's description makes it sound like a tribal tradition for squaws to make one and give to their lover, but I cant find any further information supporting that theory: “I had nearly forgotten the pipe-holder, which hangs round his neck, and is generally a gage d'amour, and a triumph of squaw workmanship, in shape of a heart, garnished with beads and porcupine-quills.” - Adventures in Mexico and the Rocky Mountains pg. 234-235 The beaded heart shaped pouch in the MFT collection looks more like a flat bag from later periods than the pipe holder in question.  Whispering wind has an article on the these found here: www.thefreelibrary.com/Plateau+ladies+heart-shaped+bags.-a0137399213Not much of a background info. I hope someone else knows more. /Char the Swedish mountaineer |
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isaac
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Posts: 331
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Post by isaac on Nov 21, 2012 7:35:04 GMT -7
Thanks Char. By the beads and style of that, I would agree that it is a later period bag. As for the gage d'amour. I am not sure that is really what they are called in the period as much as they were referred to as gage d'amour as a term for "tokens of love" in a more generic sense. I k now I have not seen them mentioned in earlier periods in the Great Lakes fur trade that I study and have only seen a few mentions and images in the Rocky Mtn. fur trade. Here is the earliest literary reference I can find to one of these ... 1848 books.google.com/books?id=1WJIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA293&dq=%22gage+d'amour%22++and+pipe&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fuWrUMyvNYiw0QHq34HQBQ&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBjgK#v=onepage&q=%22gage%20d'amour%22%20%20and%20pipe&f=false 1856 books.google.com/books?id=rYITAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA282&dq=%22gage+d'amour%22++and+pipe&hl=en&sa=X&ei=V-SrUO_HPJK30AG0m4HgDg&ved=0CEwQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=%22gage%20d'amour%22%20%20and%20pipe&f=false 1857 books.google.com/books?id=TroXAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA136&dq=%22gage+d'amour%22++and+pipe&hl=en&sa=X&ei=V-SrUO_HPJK30AG0m4HgDg&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22gage%20d'amour%22%20%20and%20pipe&f=false |
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isaac
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Posts: 331
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Post by isaac on Aug 22, 2013 18:59:04 GMT -7
I have nothing showing these for my period of interest in the Great Lakes but sure find them cool. I am thinking if making a nice historic one for modern use, trapping and being out and about.
Anyway, for those that have and use them... Would you care to share your preferences and thoughts on size, shape, etc. I want this to be practical and usable since I am making it 100% for modern play and work.
IW
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Pare
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Post by Pare on Aug 23, 2013 12:31:04 GMT -7
I didn't find anything neither. Maybe its origin was in Canada? Or out west.  Has anybody seen, or read of one made in other shapes? Ex: square, oval, or round. Also, were they sold at rendezvous and trading posts, too? Pare- |
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isaac
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Posts: 331
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Post by isaac on Aug 23, 2013 18:48:46 GMT -7
I didn't find anything neither. Maybe its origin was in Canada? Or out west. Has anybody seen, or read of one made in other shapes? Ex: square, oval, or round. Also, were they sold at rendezvous and trading posts, too? Pare- I am reply thinking out west... That is where you see them and if not, it would have shown up earlier in the lakes of Canada. Based on the name, the would be made by the women, and this seems to be the case from the quotes above. As for shapes, I know that heart-shaped is commonly seen today, but the ones Miller drew/painted are more upside-down tear shape. If the cords pulled on it more, they could misshape to a heart more though. |
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Post by Leifer on Aug 23, 2013 19:47:36 GMT -7
Here's an example of Miller's from his sketch of Antoine Clement.  |
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Pare
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Posts: 153
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Post by Pare on Aug 23, 2013 20:19:12 GMT -7
I like them myself but can't justify their use here in I.T., so I'll continue using an un-beaded buckskin pouch. There's really no account of a tobacco bag being used by us, let along the smoking or chewing of it, other than "a plug of tobacco, one inch square". Vague, or NO descriptions just drive me crazy!!
Guess I'm getting off-topic and out of the area... Good topic though, Isaac!
Pare-
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isaac
Mountaineer
Posts: 331
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Post by isaac on Sept 12, 2013 12:44:15 GMT -7
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Post by Chuck Burrows on Sept 13, 2013 12:39:21 GMT -7
One thing to consider here is Ruxton himself and his writings in general - for this I recommend "Ruxton of the Rockies" edited by Leroy Hafen. This book includes his earlier journey to the Great Lakes in IIRC 1843. Between it and his later writings about Mexico and the SW USA you can see that Ruxton liked including French phrases such as gage d'amour. I have come to the conclusion that Ruxton's use of the phrase (when read in context and with the knowledge that he liked using French phrases) was in the sense of an adjective rather than as a noun. i.e. that the term gage d'amour was used to describe the object as a being a labor of love and that the term was not necessarily the proper name for the pipe bag item as pictured by Miller, albeit by Ruxton's time the term may have become associated with that pouch in particular. Then again the term may have been (mis?)-applied to that pouch in particular by the buck skinner's of the 1960-70's.... Here's links to two of Ruxtons descriptions of gage d'amour which Isacc posted above that in particular strikes me as more of a descriptor rather than a proper name... books.google.com/books?id=1WJIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA293&dq=%22gage+d'amour%22++and+pipe&hl=en&sa=X&ei#v=onepage&q=%22gage%20d'amour%22%20%20and%20pipe&f=false books.google.com/books?id=TroXAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA136&dq=%22gage+d'amour%22++and+pipe&hl=en&sa=X&ei=V#v=onepage&q=%22gage%20d'amour%22%20%20and%20pipe&f=false |
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isaac
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Posts: 331
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Post by isaac on Sept 13, 2013 13:00:18 GMT -7
I have come to the conclusion that Ruxton's use of the phrase (when read in context and with the knowledge that he liked using French phrases) was in the sense of an adjective rather than as a noun. i.e. that the term gage d'amour was used to describe the object as a being a labor of love and that the term was not necessarily the proper name for the pipe bag item as pictured by Miller, albeit by Ruxton's time the term may have become associated with that pouch in particular. Then again the term may have been (mis?)-applied to that pouch in particular by the buck skinner's of the 1960-70's.... I think you nail this on the head, Chuck!! I had similar feelings when reading this. The phrase is not a new one and certainly is still used today to describe an object. I think this is the case here too. SO... we should likely call it a tobacco bag, pipe holder, etc. and not a gage d'amour... unless our love really made it for us  This said, I am still on my search for how I wish to make and decorate (assuming I decorate) this item. IW |
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Post by Chuck Burrows on Oct 9, 2014 14:58:55 GMT -7
To add to my conclusion that Ruxton used the term as an adjective rather than the name for a particular item - this quote is from Ruxton of the Rockies page 128, Univ of Okla press 1950. While watching the Mexican caballeros near Durango, Mexico performing el gallo, where in a rooster is buried leaving only his head and neck exposed, which is then greased and a group of riders at a full gallop attempt to lean down and pull the rooster from the ground by the neck:
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luke
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Post by luke on Oct 10, 2014 14:13:01 GMT -7
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